The Senate vote against the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell," was more than a repudiation of equal rights for our gay and lesbian citizens; it was downright unpatriotic.
I know we in Vermont have high expectations on this subject, having been the first state to create civil unions ten years ago and more recently, we were the first state to give legislative approval to legalize gay marriage, even over-riding a Governor's veto. Since then, the majority of Americans have come a long way. Vermont is no longer alone. Polls indicate that 57% of Americans believe that gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve openly in the military.
Still, why not let people serve their country when they are eager and qualified to do so? The argument that allowing these men and women to be open about their sexual identity might weaken our military strength does not stand up under scrutiny. Rather, the opposite argument is more credible--we are losing thousands of talented people with special skills, like translators, which undercut our military capability. Besides, when have lying and secrecy been highly regarded values in this country? That is exactly what we force these gay men and women to do in order to retain their right to serve under"don't ask don't tell."
It's hard to take seriously the claim that military preparedness would suffer if "don't ask, don't tell" were repealed when both Secretary of Defense Gates and Chairman of the Join Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mullen, have supported it.
Susan Collins, who voted for the repeal in Armed Services Committee, voted against the bill when it came to the Senate floor with an impassioned speech about procedure. It is difficult to accept that excuse when no Republican voted for the bill--once again falling into the lock step of Republican opposition to any Democratic or Obama initiative--regardless of the merits of the legislation. We've seen this video before.
Republicans and anti-gay groups can claim a short term victory by defeating this measure. It is a pyrrhic victory which will haunt Republicans when the light of history will shine on them. This is a defeat, not for Democrats, who will rally to this cause once again, but it is a defeat for what this country should stand for--to permit every citizen the equal right to serve his or her country without having to wear a virtual burka to cover their own identity.
That, to me, is un-American.
Madeleine M. Kunin is the former Governor of Vermont and was the state's first woman governor. She served as Ambassador to Switzerland for President Clinton, and was on the three-person panel that chose Al Gore to be Clinton's VP. She is the author of Pearls, Politics, and Power: How Women Can Win and Lead from Chelsea Green Publishing.
Of course, we all know that's B.S. The First Amendment should actually say, "Freedom of (whichever branch of Christianity you like...the other stuff? Hell, no!)." Christianity is at the heart of the discrimination of gay and lesbian Americans. The reason this problem still exists and is able to be used as political warfare? Because people won't talk about the REAL reasons this is happening.
It's because of that cross. You know, the one that's supposed to stand for helping those less fortunate, caring for everyone, being positive and working together? Instead, people like Rush Limbaugh or 50 Cent wear them proudly and speak of their "relationships" with God. Don't forget to thank the big guy for giving you the freedom to judge others! Wait...I'm not a Christian, but doesn't that go against the "rules?"
Actually, I believe that we are greater than organized religion. It feels like many others are starting to see that as well. Or, at the very least, they are saying to themselves, "I might be a Christian, but it's cool if other people think other things - no one really know the answers." At least that's a start. Know why right-wingers hate those kind of people? They are using their head.
you are not playing with a full deck, "manrock1".
(heck, your very choice of screenname suggests you have some unexamined issues.)
Do you think that throwing gay linguists out of the armed services at a time when they are in short supply and months of transcripts go untranslated is helping to allow our soldiers to best perform their mission? I think they would disagree.
As far as I know, there hasn't been a mass exodus of homophobes. If serving their country is important enough to them, people will do it anyway.
It's a shame that the army will keep out willing members and compromise those who are forced to keep a huge part of their lives secret, just because some homophobes find it icky.
The Republicans will never approve of openly-gay military members.
The Democrats are not much better.
The Obama Administration must be held in disdain for its position (or lack thereof) regarding DADT.
This battle is far from over. I hardly can't wait for the poll answers about soldiers showering with gays. (Notice they didn't ask about showering with felons inducted to meet quota requirements.)
For all those homophobic people out there, you owe it to yourself to read the facts of the California Prop 8 court ruling from August this year. It's a 138 page PDF (https://ecf.cand.uscourts.gov/cand/09cv2292/files/09cv2292-ORDER.pdf) that has homophobic "experts" conceding that gay marriage can't hurt straight marriage and they also concede that religious belief does encourage violence against gay people. Read and weep.
So no I guess not everyone can equally join the military.
Wait...you mean your sexual orientation has nothing to do with those things?
Then why did you compare them with being gay?
Thank you to all military personnel; gay straight, black, green ,purple, blue, catholic, muslin, jewish
The party that blocked it was against child labor laws, women voting, 40 hour work weeks, overtime, min wage, soc sec, unemployement and workers comp insurance, clean air and water, voting rights act, civil rights act, stem cell research, equal pay for equal work, rockNroll, jazz and the blues, birth control pills for married women, Choice, ...against jews, blacks and women in the military. Against different races marrying, against teaching blacks to read.
Against anti trust and monopoly laws... Against desegregation.. Against Medicare and Soc security,CAFE stds, FDA, SEC,renewable energy, climate warming and just about any positive change in the history of our country over the last 120 years.. so feel confident that they will be proven wrong again! .
Name one thing Republican have been for (and actually implemented.. certainly not smaller government( doubkle undr both Bush and reagan) and they own 90% of our debt) besides tax cuts and no government regulation so they can rig any free market that might accidently occur.
Regards
the safety net that so many Americans depend on right now is under direct, total threat by the Rethugs.
It is the straight soldiers who need to learn to control there impulses, not the homosexual ones.
If only every straight soldier had as much self control of their sexuality!
The gay soldiers behave better sexually than their straight counterparts.
And as to people who say that all gays being feminine, that is just them noticing the ones who are, there are just as many manly gays as feminine gays. Its just that in a crowd of people you are more likely to notice the one verses the other.
Get over your bigotry people!!
Every argument you just made was used in the late 1940s to rally against the desegragation of the military. Luckily, Harry Truman ignored those arguments and issued an executive order in 1948 to desegregate. Btw, the desegregation process wasn't complete until we were already entangled in the Korean War (for those people who think "social engineering" is impossible during war times). Obama could end this DADT debate with the stroke of a pen (an executive order).
Every argument you just made was used in the late 1940s to rally against the desegragation of the military. Luckily, Harry Truman ignored those arguments and issued an executive order in 1948 to desegregate. Btw, the desegregation process wasn't complete until we were already entangled in the Korean War (for those people who think "social engineering" is impossible during war times). Obama could end this DADT debate with the stroke of a pen (an executive order).
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE68M5X220100924
That would be the Bush years.
Obama seeks to curb ruling on gays in military
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE68M5X220100924